


The Car Show

by For_Fun_Rivers



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Darillium, F/M, Love, Post-Episode: 2015 Xmas The Husbands of River Song, Pregnancy, Singing Towers of Darillium
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-03 14:53:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8718148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/For_Fun_Rivers/pseuds/For_Fun_Rivers
Summary: River and The Doctor have a date "night" while on Darillium. For The Song Squad, love and kisses for 24 years!





	1. Looking for a car

River Song gripped the steering wheel of the Ferrari 308 GTB and smiled at the Singing Towers of Darillium ahead of her in the distance. “Can I take it for a quick spin, darling? A loop around The Towers?” The owner of the vehicle took a nervous sip of his drink. How had he let himself get talked into letting her sit in his ancient classic car? “Uh, well, these cars aren’t like a space hopper ma’am, you have to know how to control them!” “Oh I do!” River Song declared. “I’ve driven cars like this before, on Earth where this car originated! Tell him, Sweetie, you saw me!”  
The Doctor was taking pictures with his new camera. He had just captured River’s wide grin as she remembered being ‘Mels’. “I did see you drive a vehicle like this, but I never did ask your parents if you were actually licensed to drive one…” The Doctor catches the look of panic on the owner’s face. “However, River, I don’t think this car has enough petrol to loop The Towers, and we are several million light years away from a petrol station with the right type of fuel for this car, not to mention several hundred years out of time. River looked at the owner who was nodding in agreement with The Doctor. “Yes, no petrol! This car is only for show!” River sighed. “Oh well, I suddenly had an urge to drive once more, I miss it.” She got out of the car and joined The Doctor again. 

“Maybe we should have them build us a dodgems while we are here.” The Doctor suggested and offered his arm to River as they continued to walk down the lane of the open air antique car show. This was the first real date River and The Doctor had had in a while. The Doctor and his wife, River Song, were in their third year of their twenty four years on Darillium. It had been joyful thus far, with a few surprises. River had been pregnant when they arrived, impregnated by The Doctor’s previous incarnation. Not long after she had given birth, The Doctor had rescued River’s loyal servant Nardole from the depths of the former king, Hydrofax’s body. Nardole chose to stay with River and The Doctor working as an assistant, valet, and nanny when needed. River was pregnant again and after several weeks of suffering morning sickness, The Doctor declared his wife needed cheering up and arranged Darillium’s first intergalactic car show on the land below the restaurant leading to the Towers.  
As they walking along, The Doctor gave River the stats on cars that were alien to her. But most of the cars were from Earth, 20th to 21st century. The Doctor had advertised the car show as specializing in cars from that era on Earth. He wanted vehicles that River would enjoy. The only problem was, asking for cars from one era grew repetitive. Soon it became a running gag, “Oh look, a ‘60s era Corvette and this one is red _and_ white.” But River enjoyed seeing them all and took every chance to pose with one. River had purchased The Doctor(At least he had hoped she had paid for it) a top of the line camera and The Doctor found he enjoyed having a hobby which helped him look for special moments to capture his family.  
_His family._ It had been a long time since The Doctor had felt part of a family. Technically, he was always in a family, one didn’t change being a father or a son or a husband. But he had been alone for so long, since after Manhattan and River leaving…But now, he was arm and arm with his wife, had a child at home and another on the way. To complete the domestic picture, The Doctor had even gotten a dog.  
K-9 was on a leash being casually held by River, his tiny wheels keeping a good pace with the long legged couple. K-9 was a robotic dog, more of sophisticated interactive computer than a dog, but it had been designed to have the features of a dog and The Doctor had fondly treated it like one. When The Doctor brought K-9 to their home, River had greeted K-9 as an old friend and with a raised eyebrow The Doctor questioned how she knew about his tin dog. River smirked at him. “Told you I nicked your Tardis when I needed it. One time, I found him inside, and we came to an understanding, didn’t, we boy?” River caressed K-9’s back. K-9 responded in his usual chipper synthetized voice, “Affirmative, Mistress.” The Twelve Doctor grumbled. “Some watch dog you are.” 

The wind picked up, The Towers sang and immediately one could tell who was a local to Darillium and who wasn’t. The locals carried on, not noticing, just as if The Towers singing was just a clock in market square. While everyone else paused to listen as if they had never heard a clock chime before. River was the exception. She always stopped and listened, as she did now, turning to look at The Towers as if it was the first time she had heard them. The Doctor loved watching her watch The Towers. He shifted his camera bag around his back and held River around her waist from behind. His long fingers traced circles on the outside of her belly, where her womb was starting to swell. The Doctor was besotted with the idea of her caring his child. All he wanted to do was focus on comforting her. He responded to her morning sickness with gentle compassion. River thought it was just a reaction to their first child but ever since she had told him she was pregnant again, he had mellowed once again and his touch was never far away. The Towers ended their song and she turned slowly into The Doctor’s arms. The Doctor held her gently as she reached her hands up to his shoulders and leaned his head down for a sweet kiss. The Doctor returned her kiss then excitedly gave her a few more. River gave a small laugh. “Sorry, I know it’s been awhile since I did that.” The Doctor played with a curl in her hair. “I’m happy you feel better, my love.”  
River Song beamed at him. “Me too!” She turned her husband back around. “Now come on, I want to see more before I start to feel too guilty about us being on our own!” The Doctor smiled at her and they continued on.  
They were nearing the end of the lane of cars and River lingered at an 80’s Lamborghini Countach, trying to talk the owner into letting her drive it. The Doctor started snapping pictures of her when he noticed K-9 rolling off on his own. River had dropped his leash trying to negotiate with the owner to allow her to sit in the car. K-9 was a good computer dog and didn’t really need a leash but using a lead had amused The Doctor. He thought about a previous incarnation using a lead on K-9 and….”Hang on where was that dog going?” The Doctor muttered to himself. K-9 headed further down the lane then turned left behind a tent that was selling food. River had abandoned charm and was now offering money to the reluctant Lamborghini owner. “Uh, River?” The Doctor called out to her. “We seem to have lost our dog!” River spun on her heel and shouted back at the owner. “I am not giving up!” River started marching down the lane, “I swear if that dog has cost me the chance to drive today…” The Doctor pointing towards the tent, calling out to her. “He went back there, I could call him but I wanted to see what made him take off…” The Doctor hurried his paced to overtake River, prepared to protect her if a monster was around the corner. The Doctor peered around the tent and found K-9 stopped in front of a car. A car The Doctor had not seen or really thought about in a long time. There was parked a yellow Edwardian roadster car with the familiar license plate, _Who 1_. “Bessie!” River called out. The Doctor swirled around to River, his eyebrows suddenly poised for an attack. “No...No you weren’t around then…how do you know about my car?!”  
River smiled and winked, “Spoilers!”  
The Doctor hadn’t heard her use that phrase in a long time, it made him feel nostalgic and immediately his attack eyebrows relaxed, letting him give her a crooked smile. “Oh no you don’t! This car is my past, if you were there, I want to know.” River hummed playfully, kissed his cheek and skipped past him to pet K-9 on the head. “Good dog! What a find!”


	2. A drive

K-9 wiggled his ears at the praise as River skipped over to the car. The Doctor crouched down next to K-9. “K-9, how did you know the car was here?”   
K-9 answered. “I brought it here.”   
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Tell me how.”  
“When Master sent me to the Tardis to send out the messages for this event. I took the Tardis back to Earth and collected the car.” K-9’s voice didn’t change much. It wasn’t program to do that. But in this moment The Doctor could have sworn his robot dog sounded smug.   
“Sweetie! You have to let me drive her!” River was also sounding smug. She’d get her joyride after all.   
“We will talk about this later. The Doctor promised K-9 as he scooped up the robot dog and placed him in the back seat. The Doctor climbed into the passenger seat of his car. He held up a key to River. “Do you promise to tell me what disguise you used to see me back then?”   
River grinned and winked at him. “Promise!” plucking the key from his hand.   
River started the car and hit the gas with such energy the car shot forward at great speed over the rocky terrain causing the Doctor to gasp, “Oh, my giddy aunt!”   
There was no roads here but River was laughing and swerving the car to avoid the bigger rocks. They were soon far away from the car show, alone except for the occasional bird overhead.   
“Dear, please slow down, remember the baby….” The Doctor put a cautious hand on River’s arm.   
River sighed, “The dampeners will protect us!” But she slowed down and then came to a stop, turning the car off. They were very close to The Towers now.   
The Doctor put his hand on River’s belly. “We are keeping the car, if you want.” River stared at him in wide-eyed delight. “You’re a bad influence on our dog! He stole it for us!” River grinned and The Doctor leaned in to take the opportunity to kiss her again only to wind up with a mouthful of curls. River had turned and was patting K-9 on the head. “Such a good dog!”  
The Doctor sighed and leaned back into his seat. “I believe you owe me a story, my dear.”  
River turned her attention back to her husband. “It was a short visit. You might remember parts. It wasn’t long after your companion at the time left you, what was her name?”  
The Doctor gasped a little bit as the memory of the young companion’s face floated into his mind. “Ms. Grant.” He replied solemnly.   
River fiddled with a dial in front of her, avoiding looking at The Doctor’s face. “Yes, she was before Sarah Jane, wasn’t she? The one you liked so much.” She said evenly.  
The Doctor reached over with his long fingers and stroked them up and down her bare forearm. “Not the way I like you….never got any of my companions pregnant now did I?”  
Hormones were raging in River and for a moment she wanted to scream at him. All that time and adventures with companions and all she had was years apart from him. Had he tried to get them pregnant? She wondered for a flash but then, she noticed his caresses on her arm weren’t stopping. Up and down his fingers glided on her arm, when they reached her sleeve, they would snake under the fabric, gently rubbing her shoulder. River breathed, forcing herself to cool down, she had no reason to doubt The Doctor’s love for her now. She closed her eyes concentrating on the feel of his fingers. When she opened them again she looked at his face which was full of adoration.   
The Doctor quickly realized he hadn’t quite said the right thing, and the pregnancy hormones were probably not helping, so he tried being silent and touch her while he still could. But soon he noticed she was trying to control herself so he kept caressing her arm, hoping to relieve the tension. River let out a deep breath and smiled back at The Doctor.   
“Right. So I was looking for you, followed you. You went for a drive from Unit headquarters out into the countryside. Do you remember any of this?” River queried.  
The Doctor thought for a few moments. “I remember driving to a pub, I thought I wanted to be around people but away from the city, but…sorry River I can’t remember anything else, it was a long time ago…”  
River shook her head, “Don’t apologize, my special tea would have wiped your memory. We met at the pub, I served you a pint, we had an adventure, I got to drive this car.”  
The Doctor laughed, “This one you are making up, my dear! How did you know I’d be there? I didn’t even know I was going to be there, I went for a drive, and it just happened that I went stopped at that pub!”  
River winked at him. “I had your Tardis. I followed you, then went back in time, talked my way into a job at the pub and waited for you.”   
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Whose Tardis did you steal?”  
River Song smiled. “Spoilers” River started the car up again. “I think the rest of the story would make a great bedtime story for our little one. I miss her, let’s head back.”  
The Doctor didn’t protest. He had plenty of time to hear all her stories of when she invaded his time line. “Speaking of stealing, did you know I stole a car?”  
River laughed, delighted. “No! Did you steal this one?”  
“Very near!” The Doctor laughed. “I stole one like it and I enjoyed it so much, I then asked for a car as payment for my services to Unit.”   
The Doctor told the story of his regeneration and stealing the car as they headed back to their cottage.   
The Doctor had found them a modest cottage for them to live in during their twenty-four years. He wanted River to feel like she had a home, one that wouldn’t move unlike the Tardis. Darillium was going to be a fixed point in their lives, they should have a fixed place to stay, he had explained. The Tardis was parked in the back garden now, quietly waiting.   
River parked the car out in front of the cottage and got out still smiling that she had a car again. “We’ll have to build a garage now. Maybe big enough for two, we should have two so we can have races!”   
The Doctor lifted K-9 out of the back and set him on the ground, removing the leash, he sent K-9 onto the cottage.  
“I think that can be arranged.” The Doctor couldn’t help but smile at River, his wife was so happy, it was infectious. He linked arms with River as they walked up the front path to their home. He stopped before the door and turned her towards him, “Good date?” He asked searched her eyes. River dropped her gaze but not her smile as she looked down to the lapels of his jacket. She snatched them quickly into her hands and pulled The Doctor forward grabbing his mouth with hers for a passionate kiss. For a moment, The Doctor’s hands flailed out in surprised, but instinct kicked in and his hands found her body as he returned the kiss. River’s hands explored his body and The Doctor broke away from her lips to kiss on her smooth neck. River moaned and ran her fingers into his curly hair and The Doctor found himself wanted nothing more than to forget parental responsibilities and to sneak his wife off to their bedroom in the Tardis for an hour or two.  
“Or three” River breathlessly whispered to him. The Doctor looked up at her as he kissed his way back up her face to her lips, he gave her a crooked grin knowing she had read his mind. River sighed and kissed him soothingly. “But, later, my love, we do have to be parents and check on our child.” The Doctor hugged her and kissed her forehead. “You’re right, of course. I am glad you’re feeling better.” The Doctor caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, “I know Time Lord pregnancy is difficult on you and this time isn’t any easier.”  
“Will it be like this every time?” River asked bringing his hand away from her cheek to kiss it gently.  
The Doctor hesitated in his answer and that was all it took for River to look up into eyes concern suddenly filled her face. “What, what is it?”  
The Doctor took a breath. “It’s fine. We hadn’t done a scan on the fetus but I think the reason the pregnancy has made you so sick is because it isn’t a fetus, its two.”  
River’s eyes went wide. “Twins?”   
The Doctor nodded. “It is just a theory, we could do a check using the Tardis’s scanners.”  
River leaned against The Doctor. _Twins_ She thought. “Tomorrow.” I suddenly feel like laying down.”   
The Doctor gave her his wolfish grin, “That’s what I had in mind too.” The Doctor for a moment saw with delight that he had made River blush but she quickly recovered. “I’ve taught you well.” She kissed his lips lightly. “But enough flirting for the moment. Let’s go see what little Cilly got up to.”  
The Doctor opened the front door and was immediately struck by how quiet the house seemed. River noticed too the lack of noise that usually followed their two year and with a shared look of concern they quickly rushed through the front hall to the front room where they found Nardole tied to a chair. Their Time Baby was standing next to the chair holding a cylinder shaped toy block. “Mummy! Daddy!” The child ran up to them and embraced them. “You’re just in time! I’m rescuing Nardole!” Cilly ran back to her nanny and held out her block, “Bzzzzz” She waved her block up and down in front of Nardole. Nardole subtly shrugged and the “ropes”, which were in actuality, Christmas tree garland, began to fall. Nardole stood up “I’m free!” Cilly grabbed his hand, “You’re not out of danger yet! We must return to the Tardis.” Nardole and the time baby jogged out of the room as The Doctor and River followed. Nardole and the time baby ran into her bedroom. “Into the Tardis, Nardole!” The baby spun around on her foot as The Doctor and River watched from the doorway.   
“Bzzzzz” The Time Baby pointed its toy as unseen enemies before running into her Tardis. “We’re safe now!”  
The Doctor and River clapped. “Well done, Cilly!”   
Cilly and Nardole emerged from the Tardis. “Do you like my Tardis, Daddy?”   
The Doctor squatted down so he was eye level with his child. The Time Baby had a head full of oynx curls and deep brown eyes. Time Babies didn’t always look like their parents current incarnations but The Doctor and River swore they saw some of their past incarnations in her. “I do, yes, do you want to show me the inside, Time Lady?”  
The Time Baby grinned and took his hand. Her “Tardis” was actually a dark blue blanket that had been draped over some of the dining room chairs to make a tent. “Yes, but I am not a Time Lady, I’m an archeologist. I rescue people in distress!”   
The Doctor gave a look to River, who was covering her mouth trying to stifle her laugher. “I think I’m going to take over bed time stories for a while.” The Doctor almost growled.  
River spun out of the room and her laughter could be heard down the hall.   
“Well, that’s me off. I trust I am not needed anymore tonight?” Nardole queried.   
“No, no, thank you Nardole.” The Doctor turned back to his child. “Nardole is going home now, Cilly.”  
“Thank you for playing with me Nardole!” Cilly called out already leading her father to her Tardis.  
“Good night, Cilly-Billy.” Nardole replied.  
Cilly stopped in her tracks. “What did you call me?” She asked curiously.  
Nardole gave a slight laugh. “Oh it’s a nickname I thought of for you. You always come up with silly games so I thought, Cilly-Billy. A play on _silly_ -billy”  
The Time Baby smiled and pointed at Nardole. “I like that! But it’s a bit long. Just call me Bill.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As long as I've been thinking of this story it wasn't until yesterday that I decided to end with Bill being their baby. (Its only with the recent trailers that I've been convinced the new companion isn't their baby but I still like the idea) I haven't quite decided if I am going to do more to this story, I wasn't planning to but the ending just isn't sitting right so I may think of more to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Completely inspired by LittlePageAndBird who writes River/The Doctor perfectly! Go read her stuff!  
> (https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittlePageAndBird/works)


End file.
